Second Chances
by LetItRain25
Summary: Season 6 AU. Mostly hurt Chris with comforting Wyatt. Could be slash if you squint. Wyatt comes to the past to see what Chris has been up to, and it turns out that working together as brothers instead of rivals may be exactly what the future needs. Accidental Chris Revelation and season fix-it fic. Happy Ending :)


TIMELINE NOTE: Set in season 6. The sisters know that Chris is from the future, they do not know that he's Piper's son, and they don't believe that Wyatt becomes evil (or that Chris is there to save Wyatt). Takes place after Piper kicks Chris out of the house, and assumes that Chris has been working alone for several months to save Wyatt. Also, I don't mention Leo and Piper having to get back together here, so let's just assume that fate takes care of that for them. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Second Chances

Chris feels the familiar tug of a bond that he's been struggling to keep quiet for months. Since arriving in the past, he's been blocking everything that he would normally allow to pass through the bond, which admittedly wasn't much in his real timeline.

The absolute block has been difficult to maintain, though, not just because of the strength of the block but the distance between himself and Wyatt hasn't been helping. He thought traveling to the past might make the task easier, but it turns out keeping the block on the bond across multiple timelines was actually more tiring than he had considered.

Keeping the bond quiet in spite of all of the emotions he'd experienced at seeing his family again had been hard. He was experiencing near-constant migraines, and the time-travel was starting to take an exhausting toll.

Chris sighs as he feels the bond tethers strengthening, and that can only mean one thing: The person on the other side of the bond is getting closer.

He flicks his wrist, finishing off a demon before orbing out of the Underworld and appearing in the attic, ignoring the sisters as they begin to yell in acknowledgement of his entrance.

Instead, he keeps his gaze solely focused on the wall.

Piper pauses mid-speech as a portal appears suddenly. The eldest sister briefly considers that this could be a trap from future-boy, but just as suddenly a tall man, with blonde curly hair appears in the attic. Piper may have never seen this version of the man before, but she would recognize him anywhere.

"Wyatt?" Piper breathes as the man in question materializes in the attic. She takes a small step forward when the blonde turns to see her.

"What?!" Paige demands, head whipping back and forth between the man and Piper.

"It's him," Phoebe confirms, though how she knows even she doesn't understand.

Chris takes in the sight of his brother and so many emotions roll through him, boiling just beneath the surface. Chris' fight or flight instinct is in high gear, but that's not what the problem is. Wyatt looks at him and Chris wants nothing more than to pull his brother tight and beg him to take them both home.

Chris has been stuck in the past for _months_. He's been on his own since the sisters kicked him out. He's been spending more time in the Underworld than he has above ground. He's been working with Elders and demons and spending every waking moment trying to save his future, and he has done that with no help from the sisters, and he has done it all without complaint. But now, staring down his brother and listening as his mother recognizes the Source instantly, Chris just _can't_ anymore. Tears spring to his eyes without permission and the waves of emotion pounding into him nearly send him to his knees.

Then Wyatt looks at him, head cocked to the side and assessing him. Not as the Source or as a rival or as anything else they have been as of late. Wyatt looks at him as a brother making sure the other is ok, and Chris doesn't know if he can't or won't deal with this right now but he does know that he's not staying to find out.

"Chris, wait!" Wyatt yells as he watches his brother disappear in a flurry of orbs.

 **CHAPTER 2**

Wyatt isn't entirely sure what he is expecting when he walks through the portal. What he does know, is that he doesn't want his little brother wreaking havoc in the past. The future may not be perfect, but that doesn't mean that all of it needs to be changed.

Wyatt had just completed a major merge with a demon group (no one had told him that ruling the world would require so much diplomacy), meaning that The Resistance was really the only thing causing a problem at the moment. Since the Resistance's main leader currently on a Hail-Mary mission, even that was going fairly smoothly. Stability meant that Wyatt was able to disappear for a few days.

And, though he was loath to admit it, Wyatt just didn't like the idea of Chris being in the past alone. Wyatt's little brother is fully capable witchlighter, but he is also Wyatt's little brother. The Resistance leader meddling in the past is bad enough, but having a kid brother do it somehow seems worse. Especially when that kid brother is a trouble magnet.

The brothers had long ago put up blocks on their link, but the distance of time put a strain on both of them in that department. Wyatt has been getting migraines to accompany flashes; flickers of emotions or events coming across as an amalgamation of altered memories and pieces of Chris' present. Wyatt knows that if the block is flickering it's because Chris is struggling to maintain it, and that warrants research. Not to mention, the idea of receiving new memories is starting to be disconcerting.

When he steps through the portal into the attic, he isn't overly surprised to see The Charmed Ones. This was their house, after all. Seeing them look so young is definitely strange, though.

When Piper says his name, Wyatt still isn't surprised – he is her son, so the fact that she recognizes him isn't abnormal. What is surprising is seeing his brother.

Chris looks…Well, terrible might be the best word. He is pale and thin and covered in dirt.

When he sees Wyatt, Chris takes a step forward: A hesitant step that would have once led to the younger launching himself into a full bear-hug tackle at the other. This step stops before it can become that and Wyatt doesn't know if that's better or worse.

They hadn't hugged in years, and yet the prospect of it is oddly familiar. Wyatt finds himself wanting it more than he is willing to allow. He realizes suddenly that no one from his present is here – there is no one to keep appearances for, and he finds that to be a refreshing prospect.

Wyatt actually looks at Chris then, taking in his appearance and noting the dirty rags he is using as clothes – Chris was on an undercover mission somewhere in the Underworld then – before noting the tears in Chris' eyes. _Tears_? Though the block remains strong, Wyatt can feel the power of the emotions that Chris is experiencing, and suddenly the tears seem warranted.

Chris looks around the room, _hurt_ written clearly across his face.

"Chris, wait!" he shouts, recognizing the cornered look in his brother's eyes. Chris looks like a wounded animal that is choosing resignation more than he is choosing escape. Wyatt leaps towards him, but not in time to stop his brother.

"Dammit," he mutters under his breath.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"Where is he going?" Wyatt growls, whirling towards the sisters.

The link may be flickering, but being closer to one another serves to re-charge it in a way, meaning that at the moment Chris' block is stronger than ever.

"What?" Piper asks, completely dumbfounded by what's happening.

Wyatt looks to her and the sisters before shaking his head and sighing. One does not become the ruler of the world without also being good at reading people. These people, he realizes, are confused.

"Look, I promise I will explain everything, but first I need to find Chris so where would he go?" Wyatt asks, approaching his mother and placing soothing hands on each of her shoulders.

"I don't uh…He's not even supposed to be here," she says, letting irritation color her tone.

"What?" Wyatt asks, sure that he is misunderstanding something.

"Future boy shows up, says he's here to stop some evil ruler, then he tries to tell us that evil ruler is you and he brings a demon in here to do God only knows what. We figured he was here to do something to little you, so we kicked him out," Paige responds succinctly.

"You kicked him out?" he repeats as if speaking to a small child.

"Why? Should we…Do you know him?" Phoebe asks, jumping into the conversation.

"Dammit, Chrissy," Wyatt huffs, running a hand through his hair and pacing away.

"How long has he been here?" he asks, raising calculating eyes on the sisters.

"I don't know, what? Six months maybe?" Phoebe asks, turning to Paige for confirmation.

Paige shrugs in response.

"Wyatt, it's not that I'm not happy to see you, but what's going on? Why are you here, and why are you looking for Chris?" Piper asks, sliding back into Charmed mode.

Wyatt looks at Piper and he feels the echo of familiarity, not from himself but from a time when Chris had let an emotion slip through the bond. Chris had always been closer to Piper, so seeing her and then being kicked out by her had probably not gone well for the kid.

Just like that, anger floods into Wyatt with the brute force of a hurricane.

"He told you he came here to save me, and you kicked him out?! You don't even know where he went?! A man from the _FUTURE_ appears in your attic and you don't even keep track of him?!" Wyatt roars, aiming that anger directly at the trio.

The sisters step back as one, bowled over by the force of his fury.

"You don't even know what he could have been doing this whole time! Jesus," Wyatt continues, returning to his pacing more forcefully this time.

"Where's dad?" Wyatt demands coldly.

"Well, he's an Elder, so-" Paige starts, more than willing to return the attitude to her nephew.

"He's what?!" Wyatt shouts. "Unbelievable," Wyatt mutters.

"Ok, mom, you get dad here. Paige, see if you can sense Chris or try scrying for him-"

"We don't have anything to use for scrying," Phoebe cuts in, immediately continuing as she receives a cold stare from her not-so-little nephew, "Maybe there's something at the club?" Phoebe finishes, looking to Paige with a shrug.

The Source approaches her slowly, voice deep as he responds, "Then go with Paige to the club and find something."

"Yessir," Phoebe taunts, grabbing Phoebe's hand as they orb out.

"Wyatt, what is going-"

"Mom, I don't have time to explain, and I'm not telling this to each of you individually. Trust me for now, and help me find Chris," Wyatt answers.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

Three weeks. It has been three weeks since Wyatt arrived in the attic, and still there are no leads on Chris. No current leads, anyway.

Wyatt has been tracking him in the Underwold, which mostly means that he's been following a trail of demon ash or ill-informed contacts. No one knows where Chris stays and no one knows how to get in touch with him, and Wyatt finds that oddly comforting because at least that means that Chris is managing to stay out of trouble. He's sticking with the philosophy that no news is good news.

"I just don't understand," Leo states.

Everyone is in the kitchen, Wyatt enjoying one of his mom's muffins as they review the situation. Piper has been staying at home with baby Wyatt, while Phoebe and Jason have been spending more and more time together. Paige just broke up with Richard and is throwing all of her energy into her temp job, and Leo has been as doting on big Wyatt as he is the mini version.

To be honest, Wyatt has been surprised that the sisters have managed to live this long. Keeping them focused and on task has been the equivalent of herding cats.

"It's been weeks and even the Elders have no leads," Leo summarizes.

"And honestly, I'm still not entirely sure why we're looking," Piper starts. "I mean, obviously we need to know what he's up to, but why is he here in the first place," Piper quickly explains as everyone shoots her an exasperated look.

"She has a point, mister. You have been just as close-lipped about the future as he has," Phoebe points out with a smile, leaning into him in a playful shoulder tap.

"It's complicated," Wyatt answers simply.

Paige doesn't manage to contain the eye-roll and accompanying groan, but before she can complain further, there's a loud thud from the living room.

Wyatt tries to get the sisters to stay in the kitchen, but instead ends up just shaking his head as they all charge head-first into the other room.

"Chris!" Paige shouts, as an energy ball approaches the witchlighter.

Chris is in the middle of the room, two demon ash marks already present. He is heading up the stairs, barely turning his head as he flicks the energy ball back at the demon, not watching as it erupts in flame.

Wyatt steps around the sisters and follows his brother up the stairs, the four remaining occupants quickly following.

Chris is already flipping through the book and pulling ingredients off of a potion shelf when Wyatt arrives.

"Chris," Wyatt says, walking cautiously into the room so as not to spook the witchlighter.

"Wy," Chris responds, glancing up from the book briefly to assess the situation, before determining that they wouldn't be fighting today.

"What the hell?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Where have you been?"

"Who were they?"

Wyatt turns to glare at the sisters as they enter the room with a barrage of questions. Their lack of tact, he's finding, is really what should be considered legendary.

"They're demons, I needed a recipe from the book, and mostly the Underworld," Chris answers laconically. Wyatt nearly smirks as he realizes that Chris may have been spending too much time with Aunt Paige.

"Chris, we need to talk," Leo says, and Wyatt's smirk is replaced by a flinch at the intensity of the glare Chris sends their father.

"I don't think we do," Chris responds after a beat.

Leo sighs before continuing, "Chris, I know-"

"No, you don't know, Leo."

"Chris, look-" Phoebe tries.

"No, you look Phoebe. I came to help, you kicked me out, and now I'm doing things my way," Chris shoots back.

Before anyone gets the chance to retort, another demon shimmers in. Piper automatically lifts her hands to explode the intruder, but stops at Chris' call to wait.

"Crystals!" Paige shouts, trapping the demon instead.

Chris nods his thanks at her before approaching the demon. "Wyatt, get them out of here," Chris says.

"Like hell he will," Piper shouts.

Chris turns to face them, shrugging, "Suit yourself."

"Who do you work for?" Chris asks, allowing a smirk to form on his face as he begins slowly pacing around the crystals.

Wyatt sees this, and knows immediately what's about to happen. He leans back against the wall, watching his younger brother. Wyatt may be the Source of all Evil (and everything else), but Chris was capable of being just as deadly when he needed to be. This Chris, stalking his prey, had always fascinated Wyatt to the same degree that it terrified whomever Chris considered to be the prey.

When the demon fails to respond, Chris nudges a crystal a little closer, shrinking the size of available space for the demon.

"Who do you work for?" Chris asks again, posture radiating calm.

"Chris, I don't know what you think you're doing, but this is not-" Leo starts.

Chris straightens, then, body taut with tension.

"Ok, everybody downstairs," Wyatt intervenes.

Chris throws a startled look at his brother, and Wyatt can't help the self-satisfied smirk he throws back at his brother. Chris nearly smiles, recognizing the move as a "what are older brothers for" kind of act.

"But-" Phoebe says, even as Wyatt chorales them out the basement door.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

They are downstairs for a solid fifteen minutes before the demon starts to scream, earning a smirk and a headshake from Wyatt. Demon torturing may not be the best bonding activity, but Chris' aptitude for it had always been a source of pride for the Source.

"You can't seriously believe we're just going to sit here and let him torture someone in the attic?!" Paige exclaims as they converge in the sunroom. Piper holds a baby Wyatt, trying to calm him as he fidgets at all the commotion.

Wyatt turns a bewildered stare at her, "You can't seriously be upset that he's torturing a demon?"

"We don't torture people!" Leo exclaims walking towards his son.

"It's a demon," Wyatt grinds back.

"It's the principle!" Leo shouts back.

Wyatt pauses, taking a moment to recognize that this group is genuinely upset at the prospect of demon torture even as another scream echoes from the attic ending in abrupt silence.

"So, just to be clear, you're not upset that Chris is upstairs with a demon alone after clearly being attacked by several of them, and you're not worried that more are coming: You're worried that a _demon_ is being questioned?" Wyatt asks, voice cold as he approaches Leo, towering over the Elder.

"It's not questioning, it's torture, and it's happening in our attic without our permission!" Paige yells at her nephew.

"Well, it was torture," Wyatt smirks briefly, recognizing that the prior silence indicates the demon is now nothing more than an ash mark on the floor.

"And why do you care so much what Chris is doing in the attic? Clearly the book trusts him," Wyatt asks, genuinely perplexed.

He has deduced that the sisters didn't trust Chris, but their response to the youngest Halliwell seems extreme even for them.

"Maybe, but he is not my son and he doesn't get to torture demons in my attic whenever he feels like it!" Piper yells in an effort to end the discussion.

Wyatt's eyes widen as he realizes what Piper just said, but more importantly when he sees that Chris had just been about to enter the sunroom.

"Chris!" he yells, even as a demon shimmers in behind the witchlighter.

The demon grabs Chris, attempting to shimmer out of the house.

They only make it to the living room, though. Wyatt doesn't know what trick Chris used, but he's impressed in spite of himself. The demon and Chris are thrown apart, each colliding with a wall before sliding to the floor.

"That was the wrong move," Wyatt says coldly before throwing a fireball at the demon, instantly incinerating him.

"Chris! Chris you alright?" Wyatt asks, running to check on his younger brother.

Shimmering is never pleasant for a witch, and it's less pleasant for a whitelighter, but because Chris is technically half Elder, shimmering is unusually painful for him. Stopping midway through the shimmer seems to have been particularly painful for Chris, who is laying on the floor with his eyes squeezed shut as he pants for breath.

"It's ok, you're ok," Wyatt soothes, gently brushing Chris' hair out of his eyes as he gives his younger brother a chance to collect himself.

Chris blinks up, then, and Wyatt feels the hurt locked behind those pain-filled green eyes.

Wyatt helps Chris stand as the sisters and Leo come to stand behind Wyatt. Chris' movements are jerky, like he's struggling to control his limbs, and Wyatt instantly goes on alert.

He flinches as he sees the blue light shocking its way through Chris' system.

"Chris?" he asks softly, taking a step back and ushering the others with him. "Go somewhere safe, and I'll be there as soon as I can, ok?" He asks, receiving a nod from Chris before the younger man orbs out.

"What the hell just happened?" Paige asks, echoing the sentiments of her siblings.

Wyatt waits until he feels the telltale burst of energy flow through his bond, anxious until he hears Chris' quiet, _I'm fine_ filter through next.

 _Where are you?_ Wyatt asks through the link.

He's been asking for weeks, and he doesn't know if Chris is just tired, or if there's more to it but finally Chris responds.

"I'll be back in a minute," Wyatt says aloud to the sisters before orbing out.

"What just happened?" Phoebe asks, gesturing wildly at the room and receiving nothing but confused looks in answer.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"Chris?" Wyatt asks, as he slowly approaches what passes for a room in the Underworld.

The room is more of a cave than anything. Light stone walls, with a mattress on the floor and what looks like it was once a desk in a corner. There's barely enough light to see, but Wyatt manages to make do.

"Wy?" Chris answers weakly, lifting heavy lids to peer blearily at the approaching figure.

"It's just me, Chris," the older man says gently, sitting on the mattress and cradling Chris' head in his lap.

"You ok?" he asks, checking Chris over for injuries.

"'m tired," comes Chris' mumbled response.

Wyatt looks around, sighing deeply as he pinches the bridge of his nose in thought.

"It's been a while since that's happened," he offers. He nearly smiles as he remembers the first time Chris had used the power. A demon had snuck up on the young boy, and lightning had erupted from his fingers, killing the demon instantly. Wyatt had come to Chris' frantic calling, only to find that the young boy just wanted to know how to clean up the room so their mom wouldn't find out and stop him from going out with friends that night.

"Sucks," Chris mutters, earning a chuckle from Wyatt.

Wyatt rearranges them so he's leaning against the wall, with Chris leaning against him. He flinches as he hears his mother call for him. Normally whitelighters can mute their charges, but an angry Halliwell always seems to get through.

Wyatt would happily ignore the sisters, but a mirrored flinch from his brother tells him this won't be an option. "Wy?" Chris asks, moving slightly to look at his brother in response to the noise.

Chris is exhausted in every sense of the word, and the migraine he's currently experiencing isn't being helped by the screaming in his head. He's curled up in his brother's lap like a child, and he can't bring himself to be concerned about it. Wyatt is warm, and safe, and he won't let anything happen to Chris and it's been so long since Chris has had that – he's not giving it up now. With that thought, Chris snuggles closer to his brother, seeking any comfort that he can get.

Chris is nearly asleep and Wyatt is disinclined to wake him, but under no circumstances is he leaving Chris here.

"Chris, come on little brother," Wyatt says, gently shaking the man to wake him.

"I have to go, or you know they won't stop," Wyatt says, chuckling softly as Chris just grips him tighter. "You're not staying here by yourself – you can come to the Manor or you can go to the club, but I'm not leaving you in the Underworld when you're barely conscious," Wyatt says.

"Don'wanna see 'em," Chris mumbles tiredly.

"I know," Wyatt answers, "But you can stay in my room and then we'll get a hotel or something after."

Wyatt doesn't give Chris a chance to answer before he orbs them both into his room at the manor.

He adjusts them so that Chris is more comfortable on the bed before he heads downstairs to confront his family.

He sighs tiredly as he approaches them at the table. He didn't necessarily have a plan of how he was going to tell this to the sisters, but he does have a firm rule that no one hurts his younger brother – not even the Charmed Ones.

 **CHAPTER 3**

"Wyatt-"

"What the hell was that?"

"You have some serious explaining to do!"

"Enough!" Wyatt bellows, taking a deep breath to center himself.

The sisters immediately quiet, looking at the man with no small amount of suspicion.

Though they had been working well in their quest to find Chris, there had certainly been times when the sisters could see a darker side of Wyatt coming through.

"You want answers, and you're going to get them but it's on my terms. I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen. Don't interrupt," he says, looking to each family member to make sure they understand.

He receives four nods with varying degrees of begrudging acceptance.

He sighs once more before he takes a seat at the head of the table, looking down to avoid having to make eye contact.

"Chris has an older brother. His brother is very powerful, so when Chris was growing up everyone worked with his older brother to make sure he was properly trained in all things magic. His dad was an Elder, so between work and working with his brother, he just didn't have a lot of extra time for Chris. Chris' mom tried to make up for it by being super-involved, but she was busy running several businesses. By default, Chris' primary caregiver kind of ended up being his older brother," Wyatt starts, looking up to see that he has everyone's rapt attention.

"I know Chris told you, but in our world, the Titans took over. Paige was killed then, and after that witches were under attack fairly regularly. Chris is strong in his own right, and he and his brother were able to continue on with some semblance of normalcy even as they were attacked more frequently," Wyatt explains.

"One day, when Chris was 14, his brother was training with the Elders and his father was working. A group of demons attacked. Chris was injured, but his mother….She didn't make it. She died in his arms. Chris had screamed for his father but he didn't answer. Finally, his brother came down, and was able to get their father but by then it was too late. His father blamed Chris for not doing something sooner, and they had a falling out. From that point on, Chris was basically raised by his brother," Wyatt says, standing from the table as he recalls the day.

"His father was an Elder?" Leo asks as Paige immediately follows up with, "Why wouldn't he come?!"

Wyatt doesn't bother responding, instead waiting for them to pause so he can continue.

"By then, the Charmed Ones were dead," he says, pausing again as all three gasp. "Witches were under constant attack. Most of the Elders had been slaughtered by the Titans, and those that remained were largely in hiding. Magic was made public, and then there really was nowhere to hide."

"What do you mean magic was made public?" Leo asks.

"Like I said, Chris' brother was powerful," Wyatt continues as if he hadn't heard Leo. "He started working with the Dark Side, as Chris called it. He worked with demons, witches, and everything in between. The world was in chaos, and he was just trying to keep his family safe. To do that, he occasionally had to make hard choices – kill witches that threatened them, or make deals with demons. Power was more important than good versus evil. Chris didn't agree with this, but he understood, I think," Wyatt explains, the last sentence quieter than the previous.

"Eventually, Chris was asked to pick a side. He didn't, and as punishment, a rogue demon killed his astral twin. She and Chris were literally part of the same soul, and when she died….Chris literally didn't speak for a year after that. I think that's when he chose a side," Wyatt whispers.

Phoebe has her hand covering her mouth, horrified as the story continues. Paige, though, is intently studying the story-teller, not just the story. She can't understand how Chris must have felt by the loss, but she can see that Wyatt was just as affected by the loss of the twin as he was by Chris' response.

"He worked for his brother for a while, joining the ranks and becoming one of the most trusted members of the new order that his brother was now the leader of. He was trying to gain intel as it turns out," Wyatt states with an eye-roll.

"At 18, Chris formed The Resistance," Wyatt continues, pride coloring his voice in spite of himself. Chris may be a nuisance in his timeline, but he was an effective one and that managed to give Wyatt some sense of parental pride even if it was often accompanied by a headache.

"Even if his brother was more powerful, Chris was the better tactician. The Resistance started small – saving witches here and there. Eventually, though, they were in an all-out war with the other side.

Chris worked from inside the regime, saving witches and innocents even as he worked to gain power. Within the order, he had been assigned a partner – someone to watch his back. She was a phoenix, an assassin witch. I guess spending so much time together went well because they fell in love, and were engaged when they hatched this plan to come to the past. She was killed a week before Chris left," Wyatt finishes quietly as he shakes his head at the memory.

He takes a breath and returns to the table.

This time, when Wyatt speaks, he makes sure he is making eye contact. "Chris' full name is Christopher Perry Halliwell, and he is my younger brother."

"What? That can't….I'm not…" Piper starts, looking to Wyatt for confirmation.

"Well, Chris is still here, so apparently you are," Wyatt smirks.

"Chris is…We're having another baby?" Leo says, smiling slightly as he turns to Piper who gapes at him.

"Apparently," Paige answers for her. "Congratulations," Phoebe offers with a smile as Piper and Leo continue to gawk at each other.

"But that means-" Phoebe startles, turning to face Wyatt.

"Chris thinks that someone is after me. He thinks they turn me, which is why I eventually take over as The Source," Wyatt continues.

"Say what now?" Paige asks, as she and Phoebe turn sharp eyes to Wyatt.

"In my future, power is the only thing that protects you. Demons and magic are known, and being a witch makes you an easy target. Becoming the Source was…practical," Wyatt explains with a shrug, not particularly concerned about justifying his actions to women who clearly have no concept of the world he lives in.

"Chris came back to protect me, and he was hoping to work with you to do that. He has sacrificed everything – his family, his friends. Virtually everyone he cares about is dead. He came back here to save them. To save everyone, and when he approaches not only the most magical beings in the world, but his _family_ , they kick him out of their house because helping him would be an _inconvenience_ ," Wyatt states, standing as he places both hands on the table in front of him.

Phoebe leans back, and even Piper can see that intimidation is something he is used to using as a tool.

"I told you Chris and his brother were powerful. Like most witches, our powers are driven by emotions, though some to a greater degree than others," Wyatt continues with a shrug. "

I have what Chris liked to call The Wave – it's a wave of energy that knocks out anything. Chris has lightning like the Elders. Since Chris isn't an Elder, though, this tends to be a hard power for him to control. It can kill anything in the room with him, so he obviously tries to keep it contained, but it's physically painful for him to do so. Channeling all of the energy isn't something his body is entirely designed to handle. A normal Elder or whitelighter is technically already dead, but that's not exactly a limitation Chris can overcome. He can only contain the energy for so long, though. When he does finally release the lightning, it's like it sucks all of the energy out of him and it wears him out pretty quickly."

"Is that what was happening out there with the demon? He couldn't contain it?" Phoebe asks.

"The rule is, that when he needs to release the energy, he takes it out on demons, and then orbs somewhere safe where one of his family members can get to him," Wyatt states.

Piper nearly loses it when he explains this. What had happened that there had to be rules about using this power? What if he isn't able to make it to the Underworld? What if he does make it to the Underworld but then can't escape?!

Unaware of Piper's plight Wyatt continues, "When he heard his mother say he wasn't her son, he was understandably upset. Combine that with the demons and the fact that I'm here and it's-"

"Not at all surprising," Paige surmises, earning a nod from Wyatt and an eyebrow raise in agreement from Phoebe.

"I told him to go somewhere safe, and do you know where he went?" Wyatt demands. His glare is cold as he stares down his family.

" _The Underworld_. He could have gone to his room, or the club, or anywhere in the _world_ , and his version of a safe place here is the Underworld," Wyatt finishes, knowing that his words have hit home by the horrified expressions he meets.

"I brought him back here so I could talk to you, but we're not staying," Wyatt states, moving away from the table.

"Wait, he's here? Can we-?" Leo starts, still trying to process everything that's happening.

Wyatt glares at him before continuing, "And really, I only wanted to talk to you for two reasons. One, because Chris has sacrificed everything for this family, and he deserves more than what you've given him. Not just here and now, but more than what you've given him his entire life. You wanted to know why Chris didn't tell you anything when he got here, and now you know" Wyatt spits, eyes burning with disgust. "Second, don't call us for a few days – he needs time to recover and he can't do that with you screaming in his head. We'll be in touch."

Wyatt orbs out of the kitchen then, and the room descends into complete silence.

 **CHAPTER 4**

Wyatt checks to make sure Chris is still asleep before he orbs to a hotel, using the credit card his mom has for the club to book Chris and himself a room for the week.

He returns just long enough to pack a bag for both of them, and then he orbs them both to the room.

"Wy?" Chris stirs as he lands in the new bed.

"It's ok, I just moved us to a hotel room, ok?" Wyatt soothes, giving Chris a moment to adjust.

Chris looks around, taking in his surroundings. His body is sore – he's covered in cuts and bruises from his time in the Underworld. Combine that with the exhaustion of using his power, and he can barely move.

He winces as he tries to get comfortable on the bed. Wyatt frowns when he sees this, coming over to check on his brother. He places a hand on Chris' forehead, and the young witchlighter sighs, leaning into the cool hand.

"Shit, Chris, you're burning up," Wyatt mutters. It's not overly surprising; any time Chris uses this power it makes his body go haywire, but that doesn't mean that Wyatt has to like it.

He gently lifts Chris' shirt, looking for any wounds, not at all surprised to see that most of Chris' body is covered in minor injuries. Wyatt shakes his head, healing his younger brother. The golden glow can only do so much – it can't fight exhaustion or hunger.

"Can you stand long enough to shower?" Wyatt asks as he sees green orbs blinking at him.

Chris pauses, seemingly processing the information before he nods weakly. Wyatt is skeptical, but he thinks the shower will help more than hurt, so he nods in acquiescence.

"Ok, up," he says, pulling Chris into a seated position and helping him pull off some of his clothes. He guides his younger brother into the bathroom and turns on the water, giving the man some privacy as he finishes stripping down. Wyatt leaves as his brother steps into the shower, leaving the door open so he'll hear if Chris calls.

The water feels like bliss on Chris' over-heated skin. He lets the spray wash over him, before thoroughly scrubbing himself clean. He repeats the process a few times, subconsciously trying to wash away more than just general Underworld muck. Unfortunately, it takes an embarrassingly short amount of time for Chris to feel like he can no longer remain upright with his eyes open.

By the time he steps out Wyatt has laid out a pair of PJs for him and ordered them food.

Chris is not necessarily a finicky eater, but he did grow up with a chef. Fruit is the one thing that he will always eat, though, which has been especially true since in Chris' present fruit has become somewhat of a commodity.

Plus, Chris is unlikely to willingly sit down for a full meal when he's busy and combined with his general disinclination to take care of himself, Wyatt had learned long ago that easily-consumed snack foods were the way to go if he needed Chris to eat.

Chris crawls his way into the middle of the bed, shaking his head at the food that Wyatt offers.

"You need to eat, Chris," Wyatt says gently, taking a plate and sitting next to the younger man on the bed.

"N't hungry," Chris whines as he flops on top of the pillow.

"Don't care," Wyatt chuckles in response.

Chris is notorious for not taking care of himself when he's focused, and from the looks of it, he's been focused for far too long.

"When was the last time you ate?" Wyatt asks as Chris pulls himself up into a seating position. The younger man leans on his brother's shoulder as he sinks into the mattress.

Chris shrugs in response as he takes a few pieces of fruit. To be fair, food in the Underworld is not exactly the most appetizing.

"So, the Underworld?" Wyatt tries at conversation. He would tell anyone that he is fishing for information about what his younger brother has been up to, but in reality, the longer he can keep Chris awake, the more food Chris can eat.

Chris shoots Wyatt a skeptical look, wondering at the intent behind the question.

"You could just open the link," Wyatt smirks at Chris' glare.

The young witchlighter sighs, taking another handful of fruit before offering, "I'm tracking a lead."

And Chris tries to limit his annoyance as he does in fact open the link, little by little. It's by no means as unrestrained as they have had in the past, but it's a start and Wyatt finds himself smiling as he feels Chris' presence in his head again.

"Who?" Wyatt asks, genuinely interested. Chris raises an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't believe someone turned you?"

Wyatt smiles and shakes his head, "Well, I don't but on the off-chance that someone is trying to do something to little me, I think that warrants investigation."

"Was it weird? Seeing little you?" Chris asks, changing the subject as he finishes off the food on the plate. Wyatt sighs in response as he sets the plate next to the bed.

"I guess. They look so young, you know? They're nothing like the people I remember" Wyatt responds, answering the question Chris had really been asking. "Why didn't you tell them who you are?" Wyatt counters, shooting Chris a brief glare which Chris avoids by looking away.

"I didn't….They didn't recognize me like they did you, ok? It was weird. They weren't exactly welcoming, and I didn't want to have to tell them…." Chris explains, trailing off.

"About me, you didn't want to have to tell them about me?" Wyatt asks, tone angrier than he intended. Chris shrinks away from the tone, and Wyatt offers a quiet apology. "So who's this lead?" he asks, trying to stay on track.

Chris settles back next to his brother, willing to take the question as a peace offering. "It's more than just a lead, Wy," Chris answers quietly. "It's him, I know it is…We're just…"

"We? Who is we?" Wyatt demands, suddenly on alert.

Chris shakes his head, tears forming in his eyes as he tries to pull away from his brother. "I can't, Wy. I'm so tired, and I can't tell you because it's all under wraps, and I just need you to trust me and-"

"Shh, it's ok, Chris," Wyatt says upon seeing Chris' distress. He pulls his brother closer to him, hugging him tightly as Chris buries his face into Wyatt's shoulder, hands clutching tightly at his brother's shirt as if to keep him from disappearing.

On any other day, Chris can lead a demon army on a pointless attack in a real attempt to lead a Resistance army on a rescue mission, and he can do it all without missing a beat. Today, though, Wyatt sees nothing but his baby brother.

Wyatt continues offering reassurances, rubbing soothing circles on Chris' back as the younger man composes himself.

"Tell me you have a plan. That's all I'm asking," Wyatt says gently as his brother's weight settles on top of him. Chris is blinking heavily, the intensity of the situation having drained what little energy he had remaining.

"There's a plan," Chris responds, his response muffled as he turns into Wyatt's shoulder.

"When do you need to be ready by?" Wyatt asks, assuming that if Chris is working with someone else that he will need to complete his part soon.

"Two days," Chris answers as his breathing settles and he finally falls asleep in the comfort of his brother's embrace.

Wyatt sighs, pressing a kiss to the top of Chris' head. Wyatt may not believe he was turned evil, but that doesn't mean he wants people messing with him against his will. Plus, Chris has had a lot of time to work this out and Wyatt trusts his brother on this, which means that Chris will have Wyatt as back-up whether he wants it or not. With that thought, Wyatt leans back, settling in to watch over them as Chris gets much-deserved rest.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"Sweetie, are you ok?" Phoebe asks, sticking her head around the door. Paige is right behind her and as she pushes Phoebe the two manage to stumble their way into the nursery.

"Yep," Piper says, playing intently with baby Wyatt.

"Riiiiight," Paige returns skeptically.

"I think what Paige is trying to say is…." Phoebe starts before realizing she has absolutely no idea what to say.

"What _Phoebe_ is trying to say is are you sure you're not over-compensating a little, here?" Paige says, gesturing to the freshly cleaned nursery, and the recently organized toys, and the protection symbols hanging around the doors and windows.

Piper sighs, and stands up, putting Wyatt in his crib as she does so.

"I know, ok," she snaps, turning to her sisters.

Paige smiles at the response. She had been worried that they would be working with denial-Piper, but frustrated-Piper was definitely the preferred option.

"I just…I don't know what to do. We can't call them, and I can't _do_ anything for baby Chris, I mean," Piper says, wiping away tears as Phoebe and Paige pull her into a hug.

"I've been terrible to him! What if he hates me?! He should hate me, I mean, God, I kicked him out of the house! Where has he even been staying?!" Piper continues rambling, leaning heavily on her sisters as the reality of the situation presses further against her.

"Honey, he doesn't hate you," Paige assures.

"No, we just-"

"Don't you dare say we didn't know! We knew with Wyatt! And can you imagine?! We just _knew_ with Wyatt, and Chris spent so much time with us, but we didn't…" Piper breaks off, sobs overtaking speech.

"We'll fix it," Paige states firmly. It's not a lot to offer, and it's nowhere near enough, but it's all they have. Hopefully, they have the rest of Chris' life to make it up to him. Assuming he manages to survive his past, first.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

Wyatt would have been happy to let Chris sleep the next two days, but it seems that fate has other plans. It had only been 6 hours when there was a knock at the door that caused Chris to startle out of his sleep.

"You expecting anyone?" Wyatt asks, tone light as he climbs out of bed to assess the threat. It seemed unlikely that an intruder would knock, but with two of the most powerful magical beings in the world in one room, he wasn't willing to rule anything out. Wyatt had put various wards around the room that would keep most people out, but one could never be too careful.

Chris rolls his eyes even as he smiles in response, "I don't even know where we are, but yes, I did manage to plan a party for the occasion."

Wyatt gets to the door first, checking the peep hole, "It's an Elder?"

"Move," Chris mutters, checking as well.

"Odin," Chris says, opening the door even as he's sure to keep Wyatt away from prying eyes.

"I just came to warn you that Gideon knows we're onto him. Apparently his assistant was in on it and he told Gideon the plan," Odin states plainly.

"Where is he?" Chris demands. Wyatt's head whips up at the tone – that's the Resistance Leader Chris – all planning and preparations.

"We don't know," Odin grumbles. "We have everyone searching, but so far no luck. The sisters are with us, as is young Wyatt naturally. It shouldn't be too long before Gideon is caught," Odin elaborates. "I would offer you a place with us as well, but I'm assuming you wouldn't take it anyway."

Chris smiles then, having grown to appreciate the gruff Elder. "I would have to decline," Chris agrees.

"Don't go looking for trouble, Chris. I may not have known you for very long, but it seems that trouble has an easy enough time finding you without you helping it along," Odin advises before stepping away from the door and orbing.

"Gideon?" Wyatt asks as soon as the door closes. "As in magic school Gideon?"

"Yep. He's been working with demons to try to get to baby you. That's how I found out. I thought about going to mom and dad, but….The Elders agreed to let me find information in the Underworld and report back to them. We all agreed it would be better if no one else knew. We had enough evidence that they were going to put him on trial, but apparently that won't be happening now," Chris says, picking up the bag that Wyatt had brought and sorting through its contents. He quickly pulls on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, tossing another pair of pants and a shirt to Wyatt.

"And now what; he's escaped so you're going after him?" Wyatt asks, voice growing hard as he slips into older brother mode.

"Yep," Chris answers, focused on the task at hand.

"Does he know who you are?" Wyatt questions. Chris cocks his head to the side, not having considered it and unsure of the answer, "No idea. It shouldn't matter, though. He's after you. At least little you should be safe Up There and that leaves us to track Gideon down."

"Us?" Wyatt asks, looking at Chris curiously.

Chris turns to look at Wyatt in surprise, "Wy, I mean I know you don't think that anything happened but surely–"

Wyatt holds his hand up to stop his brother. "Oh I'm definitely going. I just didn't think you would want me to," Wyatt finishes, feeling ridiculous as he finishes.

Chris grins widely, "Oh you're not getting out of this that easy. Now come on. First we need to swing by my room and grab a couple of potions. Then we're going elder-hunting."

Wyatt finds himself caught up in the thrill of the chase, but before they head out he has to know, "Are you ok? To do this, I mean? You only got a few hours of sleep-"

 _I'm fine, Wy_ , Chris responds through the link. "And besides, this is literally what I came here to do. We're finishing this."

Wyatt grins in response as the two orb out of the room.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"Piper, you need to come with me, now," Leo states without ceremony as he orbs into the kitchen.

"Why? What's happening?" Piper responds.

"There's a problem, and I will explain everything, but right now you all need to come with me," Leo says, grabbing baby Wyatt and the ready-to-go baby bag.

As all three sisters stare blankly at him he huffs, and then grabs Piper's hand, hurriedly advising Paige do the same for Phoebe, and then he orbs them Up There.

"What's going on?!" Piper demands, as she takes a seat at the table in the room, and takes Wyatt from Leo.

"What she said," Phoebe agrees, as she and Paige come to stand behind Piper.

Leo sighs, hanging his head in defeat. "I didn't….Apparently Chris has been working with the Elders since he stopped working with us. He showed them glimpses of the future to convince them of his cause, and they allowed him to work undercover in the Underworld. He finally tracked down a lead, and they had built up enough of a case to formally charge the person that turns Wyatt."

"Who is it?!" Piper demands angrily.

"Gideon," Leo breathes out, tears springing to his eyes at the betrayal of a mentor.

"Oh, Leo," Phoebe offers as apology, before shrugging her own apology at Piper's glare.

"What about Wyatt and Chris?" Piper questions.

"And how did Chris find out?" Paige asks.

"Yeah, and why didn't you know?" Phoebe finishes.

"One of the other Elders is going to tell Chris and Wyatt now. Apparently everyone felt it would be better if Chris worked without our help so that they could get an unbiased opinion of the issue. I guess Chris has been following leads this whole time," Leo finishes, collapsing into a chair. "Chris has been in the Underworld, assuming it was a demon after Wyatt. Turns out there are demons involved, but they were all reporting to someone, to Gideon," Leo explains. "They have everything- recorded confessions, evidence – they were going to collect Gideon tonight, but his assistant tipped him off."

"So now Gideon's on the run?" Paige asks, frowning when Leo nods at her.

"And he wants to kill my son?" Piper probes, voice cold as ice.

"And I'm guessing Chris and Wyatt are going after him?" Phoebe concludes.

"It's literally why Chris is here in the first place," Leo concedes.

"Take me to them," Piper states, standing from the table.

"Piper, I can't-" Leo tries to explain. As an Elder, his presence in the Underworld is the equivalent of a blaring alarm for demons.

"Leo, Paige can take me there, but you will tell me where my sons are, you hear me?!" Piper demands, approaching Leo with a fury he rarely sees directed at any of Piper's loved ones.

"Then what?" Paige asks. "Yeah, I mean do we even know how to kill an Elder?" Phoebe continues her train of thought.

Leo looks at Piper, and he knows without a doubt that if there's a way then they will find it. He tells her the location in the Underworld. "Now go save our sons," he tells her, pulling her into a hug as Paige orbs them out.

 **CHAPTER 5**

The good news is that they find Gideon fairly quickly. The less good news is that Gideon is surrounded by demons. The as yet undecided news is that the sisters managed to follow them to the Underworld, leaving baby Wyatt with Leo.

"So, what's the plan?" Paige asks, clearly ready for a fight as the five family members try to figure out how to defeat the Elder.

"You four are on demon-duty. I get Gideon," Chris states simply.

"Woah-"

"Wait a minute-"

"Hold on there, mister-"

Chris rolls his eyes as everyone immediately voices their displeasure. "Guys, we don't have time for this. Even with a power of 3 spell, you can't contain an Elder. Wyatt, even if you could contain him, there's not much else you could do," Chris explains as he sees his brother about to interrupt.

"Oh and you can?!" Phoebe whisper-yells.

"Yes, actually. I am the only one here with an Elder power, which means-"

"That you're the only one that can stop him," Piper finishes for him.

"I don't like this plan," Wyatt growls.

"You never like my plans," Chris responds with a smile.

"Your plans always involve you as bait," Wyatt retorts.

"Yes, but it's only so my big, strong brother can come save me," Chris answers playfully, earning an eye-roll from said brother.

"Why can't you energy blast him, or whatever it's called?" Paige asks, looking to Wyatt.

Wyatt looks down sheepishly before explaining, "I don't…uh….I don't exactly have a lot of control over it."

"Understatement," Chris mutters, a smile softening the statement and a mock-glare from his brother.

"Can you really stop him?" Phoebe asks, looking to Chris.

Chris tosses a hesitant look at his brother before continuing, "I'm the only one that can maybe stop him."

"Wyatt said that…the power is hard to control?" Piper tries to ask, unsure of how the question will be received.

Chris pauses, deciding how to explain, "The power is emotionally driven, which is what you saw the other day. Since figuring out who was after Wyatt, though, I've been working with some of the Elders and I can usually control it slightly better than that."

"That was not overly confidence-inspiring little brother," Wyatt bites out.

"Why can't we call the Elders to come get him?" Phoebe asks.

"The Elders coming to retrieve a rogue member from the Underworld would be problematic," Wyatt answers diplomatically, earning a snort from his brother.

"The Elders aren't supposed to come here at all unless they're helping one of their charges. They also aren't supposed to have rogue members, and they definitely aren't supposed to be collaborating with demons. If we can get Gideon to them, then they can court-martial him, but otherwise we're on our own," Chris explains.

"How do we keep him from orbing out as soon as he spots us?" Paige asks, turning as they hear some of the demons shouting.

Wyatt looks to Chris for confirmation before continuing, "There's an anti-orbing spell on the place already. I can feel it. The demons will be able to shimmer, but orbing will be out."

"If you can't orb, how are you going to get to him, though? I mean even with all of us, that's an entire room full of demons who are all currently making a plan to kill….well all of us."

"I have a plan," Chris states, looking to Wyatt.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"You!" Gideon shouts upon seeing Chris.

The young witchlighter strides into the room full of demons with all the confidence of a Resistance Leader.

"How dare you come here?!" Gideon roars.

There are not a lot of positives about coming from a dystopian future, but one of the benefits is that battle tactics are usually more developed – posturing is something an Elder would fight with, while battle-tested brothers prefer the element of surprise.

As Gideon gears up to continue his speech, Chris shouts, "Now!" At the signal, Wyatt channels Chris' powers, telekinetically tossing Chris towards the Elder. It's not graceful, but it's not expected and sometimes that's all that matters. Chris tries to remind himself of that as he lands in a heap on top of the Elder.

Immediately after that, Wyatt and the sisters charge into the room, throwing potions and utilizing their powers to take on a room full of demons.

The demons had been convinced by the Elder that Wyatt would become a threat – taking over the world and destroying everyone. This combined with the boy's heritage, and there had been plenty of demons jumping at the chance to help take down Wyatt Halliwell.

Wyatt is the most familiar with this type of blitz attack, and as such knows to take a defensive position in the room. The sisters stand behind him as they all form a circle protected by Wyatt's shield.

"No!" Gideon yells, attempting to throw Chris off of him. Chris uses his telekinesis to stop him, and as Wyatt and the sisters continue to fight a hoard of demons, Chris does his best to fight on par with an Elder.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

"Duck!" Phoebe yells, throwing a potion where Piper had just been standing.

Piper uses the opportunity to crouch down and take aim at a demon approaching Paige.

"This shield is awesome!" Paige announces as another demon blast is deflected.

Wyatt just grunts in response, struggling with maintaining the shield while taking on the majority of the demons. Since Paige's primary active power involves orbing, she and Phoebe were reliant on potions, leaving Piper and Wyatt to blast the demons.

"Paige!" Wyatt shouts, maneuvering to aim a fireball at an oncoming darklighter.

Chris grunts as he impacts the wall, sliding down even as he flings his arm out in an attempt to block an energy blast from the Elder.

"You are no match for me, Christopher," Gideon says as he approaches. "We were on the same side, you and I. Both trying to stop Wyatt from taking over. There's no reason we couldn't have worked together to stop him!" Gideon states, ducking as Chris throws an energy blast of his own.

"You want to kill a child! You are what turns Wyatt evil in the first place!" Chris responds, rolling behind a stone as Gideon unleashes a blast of electricity.

"No one should have that much power!" Gideon shouts.

Chris rolls his eyes as another blast of energy seems to belay Gideon's statement.

He glances back to the sisters, using his telekinesis to flick away a row of demons that were approaching his brother. Wyatt nods his thanks, returning his focus to the task at hand.

A lucky throw from a demon blows up the rock that Chris was hiding behind, and Chris screams as this allows Gideon to hit him with a lightning blast. The energy forces Chris back against the wall, and he screams as the energy courses through him.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt shouts, seeing and feeling his brother's distress. Wyatt doesn't even register what he's doing as he glances around the room, noting the number of demons standing between him and his brother. He feels Chris' scream as another blast of lightning hits him, and before Wyatt can even process his intent, a wave of energy jettisons out from his core, taking out every demon in sight as the force of the blast brings Wyatt to his knees.

The sisters stand stunned, tucked safely behind the shield as their foes erupt in flame.

"Well that's useful," Paige comments dryly.

Gideon is bowled over by the force of the impact and Chris drops unceremoniously to the ground. Chris is barely conscious but Gideon merely turns hate-filled eyes onto the older Halliwell brother.

"Wyatt!" Piper screams as she sees Gideon preparing to take aim at her son.

Piper is a naturally protective person, but watching an Elder switch from attacking one of her sons to the other is a disarmingly potent motivator. She flings her hands forward, blowing up the Elder, waiting until he reforms and continuing the onslaught as she approaches the man.

Phoebe runs to Chris, helping him stand, as Paige assists Wyatt.

"DON'T TOUCH MY SONS!" Piper screams, channeling every ounce of power she has into destroying the Elder.

Gideon may not be the most battle-ready, but even he is capable of learning, and as he reforms again he does so behind Piper this time. He manages to toss her aside, preparing to turn his power onto Wyatt.

"NO!" Chris bellows as he sees Piper thrown and Gideon preparing to attack his brother.

When Chris said that he had been working on his powers, he had not been lying. That said, the effectiveness he had achieved was nowhere near the amount of control he has at the moment.

Chris flings his hand out, literally creating a lasso of lightning that tightens around the Elder. Gideon screams out, trapped by the onslaught of power as he tries and fails to respond with a blast of his own.

The amount of energy that Chris channels through him is not something even he was prepared for: As if years of pent-up battle weariness just decided to release itself on the closest target. Later, Chris will assume that he was channeling both his and Wyatt's power into the charge, but in the moment, his only thought is that this man is trying to hurt his brother and that is unacceptable.

In the blink of an eye the entire room is filled with a blazing white light, and when the light fades the Charmed Ones are the only ones left standing.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

Gideon is killed by the force of the blast. Wyatt collapses onto all fours, having inadvertently lent some energy to his brother through their link for the action. Chris doesn't get to appreciate the success of his mission as the white light is quickly surpassed by complete darkness. Phoebe yelps as she tries to stop his fall, succeeding only in preventing him from smashing face-first into the ground.

"Chris!" Piper yells, running towards her youngest son. "No, no, no!" she yells as she approaches the young witchlighter. "OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod," Phoebe mutters as she feels for a pulse.

"He's ok," Paige hears Wyatt grunt from his place on the floor.

"He's ok!" Phoebe announces with a broad smile as she sees Chris breathing and feels a pulse.

Piper cradles Chris' head in her hands, smoothing away some unruly strands of hair as she utters assurances.

Paige shares a rueful smile with Wyatt as he continues to pant. He has a splitting headache, and his limbs feel like they may never hold his weight again, but otherwise he is all smiles as he takes in the moment of victory. Paige pats him on the back, turning to observe the ash-filled room.

"So, uh, guys? What now?" Phoebe asks hesitantly, noting the body of Gideon in the middle of the room.

None of them get the chance to respond before they are orbed out of the room, landing gently in what Piper refers to as Up There's conference room.

"Oh my God are you alright?!" Leo asks, running to Piper and checking her over for injuries before moving on to Wyatt and Chris. "I'm fine, we're fine," Piper assures him with a smile even as Leo heals Wyatt and does what he can for Chris.

"Is he-?" Leo starts, looking to Phoebe as he checks on his youngest son.

"He's fine, just…tired" Phoebe assures with a shrug.

"It would seem Gideon is no longer a threat?" the man Wyatt recognizes as Odin asks, stepping into the room.

Wyatt subconsciously moves in front of Chris, serving as a protective barrier for his little brother. Leo heals Wyatt, before turning to the younger man.

"That's correct," Piper responds, voice hard as she stands, ready to protect her family from the Elders' next decision if necessary.

"Then it would seem that the issue has been resolved," Odin states carefully, turning to face the other incoming Elders.

"One of our rank is dead. Killed at the hands of a half-breed and you think-"

The Elder in question doesn't get to finish as Piper blows him up, Wyatt vanquishes him, and Phoebe and Paige throw potions at him. It takes several moments for him to reform.

Odin turns his head to hide a chuckle. When the Elder reforms Piper approaches him, "If you _ever_ speak to or about anyone in my family like that again, then I can personally guarantee that he won't be the last Elder killed at the hands of the Halliwell family."

A female Elder clears her throat in the background. "I think that perhaps, though it would not have been the preferable way to deal with the issue, the fact remains that Gideon is no longer a threat. It would seem that now the issue involves what to do moving forward," she states, pointedly looking between Chris and Wyatt.

"What are you talking about?" Leo asks, stepping forward.

"He means we have to go back to the future, but we don't have to remember everything that happened here," Wyatt explains, making his way back to Chris who is slowly starting to regain consciousness.

Before the sisters can protest, Odin holds up a hand. "Wyatt is correct in that he and his brother must be returned to their timeline. The issue of memory is a tricky one, though. The Elders will need to discuss how to proceed. Wyatt and Chris, would you be amenable to returning to the hotel while we discuss the options with your parents?"

Wyatt turns to Piper and Leo, nodding in acceptance. Before they orb away, the female member that spoke previously approaches Wyatt. "What you have both achieved here is truly worthy of our respect. You have saved yourselves and your families and countless innocents, as well as the lives of all those present here. Please know that your service has been appreciated." With that, the Elder bows, as do all the remaining Elders in the room, though some more begrudgingly than others.

Wyatt whips his head to his brother as he feels more than hears Chris chuckle. "I see how you could get used to that," Chris laughs quietly. Wyatt just ruffles his hair before orbing the both of them out of the room.

 **CHAPTER 6**

Arriving in the hotel room goes much the same as the first time they were there. Showers are followed by coercive attempts at eating, followed by sleep.

Chris is able to shower on his own, but he nearly collapses on his way back into the bedroom.

"I've got you brother, it's ok," Wyatt says, bursting through the door just in time. He throws Chris' arm over his shoulder, helping the younger into bed.

Chris is asleep before his head hits the pillow while Wyatt showers.

Chris isn't the only exhausted one of the pair, and Wyatt's shower manages to be efficient in favor of returning to the bed as soon as possible. Normally, Wyatt would insist on food to refuel after the use of their powers, but Wyatt is too tired to force the issue and he isn't even hungry.

Wyatt slides into the bed, maneuvering the two so he can pull the blanket up over them. Chris' cheeks are flushed and Wyatt can feel the heat coming off of his brother, but that doesn't stop the younger man from burrowing under the blankets. Wyatt smirks at the action as he settles into the bed as well.

Wyatt absentmindedly runs a hand through his brother's hair, as he considers the future he and Chris will be returning to.

"Do you think it will be different?" he asks quietly, not sure if Chris is awake enough to respond.

It does take the younger witchlighter a moment to process the question, but he blinks bleary eyes open as he feels his brother's anxiety about the question.

Chris sighs as his own nerves on the subject make themselves known. Will their parents be alive? Will he and Wyatt still have a bond? Will Wyatt be good? Chris subconsciously presses closer against his brother, seeking the comfort the other has always provided.

Under normal circumstances, these questions would keep the younger man awake, but as it stands the act of readjusting around his brother and holding his eyes open is enough to wear him out.

"It'll b'ok," Chris slurs. "We'll have each other."

"Damn right we will," Wyatt smiles, pressing a kiss to Chris' head as he feels the younger succumb to sleep.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

This time Wyatt is able to sleep for a full 12 hours before there is interruption. Even then, the only interruption is that he's starving. He carefully disentangles himself from his brother as he climbs out of bed and quietly places a room-service order.

When he returns to the bed, he takes a moment to assess Chris. The younger man is still sound asleep, pale skin showing off dark circles, making the younger man seem exhausted even in sleep. Wyatt guesses this is probably true – it's been so long since Chris has slept and adding onto that the use of power and Wyatt wouldn't be surprised if Chris was able to sleep for a week.

A quiet knock distracts him, and he opens the door expecting to find room service but surprised when he sees his parents and aunts instead.

"What's up?" he asks quietly.

The sisters had decided to just come check on the boys after leaving the Elders. Piper had every intention of giving her sons their space, but as soon as the door opens and she's met with a sleep-rumpled Wyatt she can't help herself. Piper instantly pulls him into a hug, Leo doing the same immediately after she releases him.

"That bad, huh?" Wyatt asks as he steps back.

"No! No it's good, we were just happy to see you," Piper says sheepishly. "Is Chris?" she asks, trying to peek into the room which makes Wyatt chuckle.

"He's asleep and don't wake him up," he says mock-sternly as he lets everyone into the room. Just as he closes the door, there's another knock, though this one does end in a plate of fruit being presented.

"So what's the verdict?" he asks, climbing into bed and waiting patiently as Chris molds himself to Wyatt's side.

Phoebe stomps her feet at the cuteness of the gesture, and Paige eye rolls at Phoebe's response, resulting in Phoebe gesturing wildly to indicate how adorable everything is. Leo hides a smile by pressing a kiss to Piper's head as he places an arm around her shoulder.

"The Elders will be sending you back. Technically, you won't have any memories about the past, but on the day that you return to the future your past and present selves will merge," Leo explains.

"So we won't remember anything about our previous lives while we grow up, but then when we reach the age we are now the memories will come back?" Wyatt clarifies.

Leo nods, "They want you to remember, not as punishment, but so you know the good that you helped achieve. The past-timeline memories will hopefully seem more like a dream than a whole new existence."

"Hopefully?!" Piper exclaims, turning accusing eyes on her husband. She whips her head back to the bed as she hears Chris chuckle.

Wyatt glares at her as he softly rubs Chris' back to encourage him to stay in place. Chris gets the message and doesn't budge from his spot, but he does turn to get a better view of everyone.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to wake you," Piper says, cautiously approaching the bed and running a soft hand through Chris' hair, the action serving to reassure her of her son's safety. Wyatt smiles as he feels Chris melt at the familiar gesture.

"So when d'we go?" Chris asks, voice still slurred slightly.

"Two days," Piper whispers, sitting next to Wyatt as she continues to stroke Chris' hair.

Chris hums his response, trusting Wyatt to handle it.

"We will know when it happens, so hopefully we can help prepare you for it," Leo tries to assure.

Chris hopes that there are enough people still around to do the preparing. In his current future, half of the people in the room are dead which doesn't leave him with a lot of optimism about the issue.

Wyatt continues asking questions, but Chris isn't listening. His eyes are too heavy, and the feeling of warmth and safety and family surrounds him. He hears Piper whisper that it's ok to go back to sleep, and he feels Wyatt rubbing circles on his back, and that's the last thing he remembers before he drifts to sleep.

CHARMEDCHARMEDCHARMED

The girls had wanted to spend the last day as a family doing something exciting. Wyatt was able to talk them out of it, explaining that he and Chris had spent the last decade doing exciting things, and they were more than ready to take a day off.

Paige, as it turns out, is a master at days off. The guys walk in to find the room completely decked out…with pillows. There's movies laid out on a table, surrounded by all of the snack-food Piper could think of to make.

They spend the day watching movies and spending time together, finally able to have fun as a group without the impending future hanging over their heads.

Chris is still exhausted, and Piper is oddly proud that he spends most of the day plastered to Wyatt. She's more proud that Wyatt seems relieved by this, as if the thought of letting Chris out of his sight was unacceptable but he wasn't willing to ask that of his brother. The girls finally get to have actual conversations with Chris, learning what kinds of foods he likes, what his favorite movies are. The brothers share embarrassing stories from each other's lives, though they do make some effort to not give timeline hints.

The little version of Wyatt is very excited to see "Kwiss" again, and everyone smiles as he makes a real effort to remain next to the older boy for the whole day. By nightfall, everyone is asleep, sprawled out across the furniture and pillows.

As the morning light filters in, Piper wakes to see Leo taking in the sight of their sons.

Adult Wyatt is on the ground, cradling Chris against him, who has little Wyatt resting against him. Leo smiles as he sees Piper awake, and they take a moment to appreciate their family.

The goodbyes are tearful, and if Chris and Wyatt hang on a little longer than normal during the hugs, no one is going to call them on it.

"Remember, mom, don't ever let him help you with potions," Chris says with a smile as Wyatt explains to her that Chris should never be allowed to assist in spell-writing.

"Thank you," Phoebe whispers to Chris as she pulls him into a tight hug.

"Behave yourselves," Paige smiles as the boys step towards the portal.

"You ready?" Chris asks, looking to Wyatt as they portal lights up.

Wyatt smirks, suddenly filled with the sense that everything is going to be ok. With that thought, he says, "Are you?" before playfully tugging Chris through the portal with him.

The girls look to the baby version of Wyatt, and Piper rubs her belly as the portal closes behind them. Leo pulls her into a hug, bringing baby Wyatt with him. "It's gonna be ok," he says, smiling at the certainty in his words.

 **EPILOGUE**

"Do you remember?!" Wyatt yells barging into his brother's room. They share an apartment in San Francisco, but they had spent the previous night at the Manor per their parents' request.

Chris is still asleep, but the sound of his brother barreling through the house is enough to wake him.

"Do you remember?!" Wyatt asks again, throwing himself onto Chris' bed.

Chris takes a moment to respond, letting his groggy mind catch up with everything else. He smiles as he chucks a pillow at his brother. "You mean do I remember having to travel through time and space to save you from the mess you made?" Chris asks, smiling broadly.

The memories may not be pleasant, but their parents had spent the last couple of years preparing them for this. Suddenly remembering a previous timeline was certainly different, but Chris didn't get time to dwell on it before he saw Wyatt look at him with shy puppy dog eyes. "Spit it out, Wy."

"You don't hate me?" Wyatt asks, voice quiet and head ducking as he waits for Chris' answer. Chris waits a beat before tackling Wyatt with a bear-hug. "You were there for me no matter what across multiple timelines, Wy. You're my brother and I didn't hate you then, and I definitely don't hate you now," Chris assures. The mega-watt smile Wyatt gives him in return tells him that was the right answer.

"So how are we going to freak out mom and dad?" Wyatt asks, still grinning. "I'm thinking either complete amnesia, or like a body-swap scenario?"

Chris laughs in return, and Wyatt knows that he was right in his assumption that everything would work out in the end.


End file.
